Towards Sustainable Employment

Accessing or returning to work is difficult in a crisis period. This is especially true for certain categories of the population, such as young people in suburbs, French immigrants, and workers without a degree.

The reasons primarily stem from how the labour market works, both for businesses and for individuals, as well as the conditions for matching supply with demand. It may be labour costs, particularly for lower incomes and the provisions of labour contracts, including the number of hours worked and the terms for dismissal. Unemployment insurance is also to blame, because of its generosity at the start of unemployment and the minimal support and training provided to workers. The reasons extend beyond the labour market itself and pertain to professional training, the housing market, and transportation.

What diagnostis can be done today on the chances that suburban youth have of accessing or returning to work? Which solutions work, given the initiatives taken in France and in other countries? What do we learn from evaluations conducted in recent years on returning to work and the quality of those jobs? What are businesses doing to promote diversity?